# Thompson Arch Barrel humidor review



## TMcNasty (Dec 18, 2012)

The humidor in question can be found at Thomsoncigar dot com under "Large Humidors." If you sort by price (high to low) it's the first entry. I'd post a direct link, but I'm not allowed to yet. 

I made the mistake of loading this humidor (received 12/4/12) with cigars once the built-in hygrometer read ~70-72% without salt testing it first. Many of them I bought from Thompsons auction site and some I bought locally at Holt's in their northeast Philadelphia location.
What got me thinking I might have a problem was when the Holt's cigars, which tasted fine when purchased, tasted sour after a few weeks in this humidor. I'd had the cigars I'd bought from Holt's before (Padron 1964's and La Aroma De Cuba) from another local shop so I knew how they should taste. The Holt's ones were as good as those at first, but not so much after a few weeks at home. A little online research got me thinking I might have a humidity issue. I figured it might be best to get a secondary digital hygrometer to double-check, and also be a backup to, the one installed in this Thompsons unit. In retrospect it would have been quicker to remove the built-in and just salt test it.
So I ordered a Hygroset II eBay just last week and salt tested it. It was spot on 75% after 24 hrs. in the baggie. I then installed it on my humidors top shelf. In very little time it was quite apparent what was wrong. That hygrometer was reading 80%! That explains why the Holt's cigars had 'gone bad' being in there for a few weeks.
So the next day I salt tested both hygrometers together after figuring out how easy it was to remove the built-in unit. After 1 day in the bag the Hygroset read 75% again and the Thompsons read 73-74%. Very odd. A 1-2% difference in the same baggie together, but an 8-10% difference with the built-in installed in the humidor and the Hygroset in the humidor right nearby. As a final check I laid both hygros next to each other on the top shelf overnight with the built-in's hole covered with tape. Same results...within 1-2% of each other this way also.
So I took a closer look at how the Thompson's unit is installed in the humidor. Turns out the hole that is drilled to give the built-in access to the air inside the humidor does not line up with the air sensor on the hygrometer! In fact, the flat back part of the hygrometer basically seals off this hole once installed. A terrible design flaw. But what did I expect? According to my packaging the humidor is from China.
I decided to drill another hole behind my hygrometer right where the actual sensor is located to provide better air flow. I think this brought the readings of the two hygrometers a few percentage points closer, but I'm not 100% sure yet. I'm still 'bleeding off' excess humidity from my humidor/cigars. Once I have the Hygroset reading ~65% I'll let you know what my built-in unit is reading.
So sadly the built-in hygrometer cannot be relied on for an accurate reading when it's installed where it was meant to be even though the hygrometer itself seems to be accurate. Quite annoying because that's the main reason I bought this particular humidor. I figured I'd start out right with a digital hygrometer since I'd read how inaccurate the analog ones are.
Other than this 'small' design flaw the humidor is pretty nice considering I picked it up for $80. I will say though that the cedar lining is quite thin. On the flipside the finish is nice, the seal is nice, the glass top is nice, and the lock works well. I'll probably upgrade to a better (American made) humidor in the future, but for now am fairly satisfied with this unit. I just wanted to get this sensor problem out there for all current and future owners of this humidor.

P.S. Let's not turn this onto a Thompson bashing thread. It's just a thread to expose a real flaw in an otherwise pretty decent (for the price) humidor.


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## TheEconomist (Mar 19, 2008)

Good review! I never even try to use the hygrometer's that come with humidors. I never trusted them! 

:cowboyic9:


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## TMcNasty (Dec 18, 2012)

Yeah I'd pretty much gathered that with regards to the integrated analog units, but thought this being digital would make all the difference. Sadly no, but it's more a factor of the installation than the gauge itself in this model.


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## circadianswing (Dec 23, 2012)

TMcNasty said:


> P.S. Let's not turn this onto a Thompson bashing thread. It's just a thread to expose a real flaw in an otherwise pretty decent (for the price) humidor.


I ordered 4 humidors from Thompsons in the past month, returned 2 of them, gave one as a gift, and kept one (pretty happy with the art deco 60 count, however agree the analog hygrometer is bad). I know people on this board hate that company, but I have to say, they were pretty good about providing me return labels, and crediting me promptly. I did get the phone calls 2 times, but I declined the club, and that was the end of it. Maybe they read all this stuff, and finally decided to listen.


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## KcJason1 (Oct 20, 2010)

Thompsons is a Chit hole company! I've never ordered from the... But have fun getting harassed for life by them!


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## circadianswing (Dec 23, 2012)

KcJason1 said:


> Thompsons is a Chit hole company! I've never ordered from the... But have fun getting harassed for life by them!


I'm not going to fall on the sword for them by any means, I am not impressed with their mild torpedo selection sampler, but the corojo cubano wasn't bad for a cheap cigar. I think there are a LOT of leechy companies who engage in deceptive billing, and make it hard for consumers. I could name a few.... XM/Sirius, OnStar, Directv, (remember BMG and Colombia House), any wireless company when it comes to international travel.


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## TMcNasty (Dec 18, 2012)

KcJason1 said:


> Thompsons is a Chit hole company! I've never ordered from the... But have fun getting harassed for life by them!


Hehe I knew someone would feel the urge to bash 'em. You know I started dealing with them before I did any research online. By the time I'd read anything about them it was too late. I had already won that humidor on their auction site along with some smokes. Plus I'd voluntarily joined the C.O.T.M club.

To be perfectly honest I think they've mended their ways since this horrible rep. of theirs was earned. I easily removed my name from the monthly club with an email (confirmed by calling in 10 days later to be sure). I had to return one shipping damaged box of smokes. Did that easily with an RMA label printed right out of my account. Free shipping and my CC was credited promptly. I did get one random call several days after winning the humidor in early December. Not another one since. However during that call I had the guy look up my purchasing activity. I asked him "Do I look like a guy you need to call and try to hawk cigars to?" He chuckled and I think quietly put me on the "don't call and annoy this $ spending customer ever again" list. Guess that's what happens when you win $500 worth of cigar auctions in 2 weeks.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

KcJason1 said:


> Thompsons is a Chit hole company! I've never ordered from the... But have fun getting harassed for life by them!


I have never bought from them either they send catalogs once they even called to solicit business!
They buy lists from other companies sneaky!


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## TMcNasty (Dec 18, 2012)

TMcNasty said:


> Once I have the Hygroset reading ~65% I'll let you know what my built-in unit is reading.


Well....finally an update. My Hygroset II inside this humidor says 70°/64% thanks to weeks of humidity release via opening the lid daily, a bag of KL for a while, and finally two Boveda 65% packs these last couple weeks. The built-in hygro is reading 58% so they're a little closer to each other then they were at first. 6% vs. 8-10%. Maybe the lower overall humidity is helping on that front...or maybe the second hole I drilled. Not too sure. At any rate I can probably 'trust' the built-in hygrometer now...just needed to know that 58% means ~65%.
If you ever buy this humidor...or know anyone that owns it...show them this thread.


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## cigarbro (Dec 11, 2013)

Thanks for this review. The heads up on the hole where the hygrometer sits is spot on. After many headaches of trying to figure out why my back up digital hygrometer wasn't reading the same as the one on the face of this humidor, I read this post and it cleared everything up for me. Here is the way that I handled it. After unscrewing the plate that holds the hygrometer I popped it out. I saw the hole and where the air sensor was not lined up (the same as mentioned). The only way that they would line up is if you put the hygrometer in upside down.. HAHHAA.. I realllly didn't want to drill a hole in the wood and where I would have to drill would hurt the partition where the humidifier sits in the middle of the humidor.. SO, I took off the battery cover on the back of the hygrometer and saw that the open space without the battery cover is now well enough for the air sensor. Well enough to take a good reading. I screwed the hygrometer back in with out the battery cover and BINGO. Both hygrometers are now reading the same.. As to where the back up was reading 3-4 points higher than what the Humidors hygrometer was reading. Thanks.. It helped me and I hope it will help others. After this now I can sit and really enjoy this humidor.


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## TCBSmokes (Sep 25, 2013)

How did you ever get the rh up to 80% in the first place? Pretty tough to do I would think. Anyway, I've read on this site about Thompson's purported antics before, but not the phone calling part. Funny enough (or maybe not) after receiving my first CI brochure a few weeks back, I just received one from Thompson's, and unsolicited as far as I recall. Soooo, guess the phone will be ringing soon. Thanks for the heads up. Happy Holidays. TCB


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

I've ordered from them and do get a lot of spam e-mail and home mailings, but I have never received any phone calls from them. Then again, this could be because I gave them someone else's phone number!


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## tony (Feb 2, 2008)

i bought a humi from them over 10 years ago and i still get complements on it. other than the catalogs in the mail i have had zero contact from them.


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## JoePerez (Mar 3, 2014)

TMcNasty said:


> Well....finally an update. My Hygroset II inside this humidor says 70°/64% thanks to weeks of humidity release via opening the lid daily, a bag of KL for a while, and finally two Boveda 65% packs these last couple weeks. The built-in hygro is reading 58% so they're a little closer to each other then they were at first. 6% vs. 8-10%. Maybe the lower overall humidity is helping on that front...or maybe the second hole I drilled. Not too sure. At any rate I can probably 'trust' the built-in hygrometer now...just needed to know that 58% means ~65%.
> If you ever buy this humidor...or know anyone that owns it...show them this thread.


Thanks for this review and the solution. I just started buying cigars for my golf game, purchased this same humidor on a whim (wish I knew it was available from Thompson without the cigar-combo package: BLEAH!!!), and can't get the sucker above 63% MAX. Constant reading is 58%, and a backup I got with some solution and gel jars is reading 63%, so I had figured the same as you that as long as the humidor's meter is reading 58%, I'm OK.

I was so stumped I even bought an electronic humidifier (due to arrive tomorrow) to get the humidity up. Can't wait to try it out.

Now, the only problem I have is my friends telling me "a 55 year-old CANCER SURVIVOR starting to smoke cigars? GOOD MOVE!"


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## TJB (Dec 10, 2012)

JoePerez said:


> Thanks for this review and the solution. I just started buying cigars for my golf game, purchased this same humidor on a whim (wish I knew it was available from Thompson without the cigar-combo package: BLEAH!!!), and can't get the sucker above 63% MAX. Constant reading is 58%, and a backup I got with some solution and gel jars is reading 63%, so I had figured the same as you that as long as the humidor's meter is reading 58%, I'm OK.
> 
> I was so stumped I even bought an electronic humidifier (due to arrive tomorrow) to get the humidity up. Can't wait to try it out.
> 
> Now, the only problem I have is my friends telling me "a 55 year-old CANCER SURVIVOR starting to smoke cigars? GOOD MOVE!"


Well congrats on beating cancer. But I agree you should be careful. Cigarette smokers that switch to cigars have a terrible time not inhaling the cigar. Your a grown man though and they should respect your decision. Good luck!


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## JoePerez (Mar 3, 2014)

Sorry, I should have mentioned that it was *prostate* cancer.

The trouble *I'm* having is figuring out how hard to draw, and not exhaling into the wind! ^_^


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